Friction draft-rigging for railway-cars.



J. F. OGONNOR. PRICTION DRAFT RIGGING FOR RAILWAY GARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1908.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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vvlTNEssEs.- INVENTOR j JW/VW v .j/v7 @ICO/wmf A/'s A Troie/ways J. F. OGONNOR. FRICTION DRAFT RIGGING POR RAILWAY GARS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 23, 1908.

Patented Jan. 12, 1909.

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INVENTOR kfof? F Zan/70% WI TNESSES: f. (fm1/MM /s ATTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT JOKER .QOON NOR. QEQHIQAGO. lLLINOI, ASSIGNOR FIIOW- H- MINEBOOMBANY, OFCHLQAGQ. ,ILLINOIS .A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

To titl whom it may concern:

"Be it known that I, JQHNF. OCoNNoR, a citizen Of the United States, residingin Chif cago, in the count-y of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a-new and useful Improvement in Friction Draft-Rigging for Railway-Cars, of which the following is a specification.

` My invention relates to improvements in friction draft rigging.

In friction draft rigging heretofore in use, after the friction devices become somewhat worn and thus reduced in size, a considerable amount of slack or lost motion accumulates which materially interferes with and reduces the effectiveness of the draft rigging in practical operation, and also prevents the draw bar from being fully restored to its normal position when the spring expands, because of the looseness of the parts and reduction in size of the friction devices which are interposed between the `spring and the draw bar.

The object of my invention is to provide a friction draft rigging by which these dificulties or objections may be practically overcome, and wherein the slack, lost motion and reduced size of the .friction devices due to wear will be automatically taken up and compensated for, so that the parts,including followers, sprin and friction devices, will always remain 1n close contact with each other and in position for effective operation.

A further object is to provide a friction draft rigging wherein the main spring of the draft riggin will always hold the friction'devicesun eran initial load and thus prevent movement of one friction device in respect to the other without also producing an initial frictional resistance, sothat the friction devices may thus operatewith in-.

creased eiliciency throughout the totalmovement of the draw bar from beginning to end.

A further ob'ect is to provide a friction draft rigging o a simple, eilicient and durable construction, by which the above results may be accomplished, and which will also have provision for properly cushioning light strains or blows without operating the frictional resistance mechanism, aswell as provision for properly cushioning heavy or vio. lent blows or strains through the action of the main spring and the friCtQnalreSistance.

My invention consists in the means I emspecmationiof Letters rarest. Application 23, 190,8". Serial N9.422i3,00.

.latsntetllen 1.2, .190.9-

ploy to practically accomplish this object or result, as herein shown or described, ythe same'consistin essentially in the combination with the raw 'b ar, draw bar yoke, fol lowersand stops or draft lugs for thefollowers to abut against, of a main draft rigging spring, friction devices against whichsaid spring acts, vand referably comprising a friction shell, friction blocks or shoes within the shell, and a wedge or spreader block acting against the shoes, and a connecting rod operating upon the wedge or s reader block to hold the main spring un er an initial compression and the friction shell and friction shoes or blocks under an initial pressure or frictional engagement, so that the friction members cannot move in respect to each other without producing effective frictional resistance; and so that as the friction devices become smaller by wear the slack Aor lost motion will be automatically taken up and compensated for :by expansion of the sion or compression.

parts, 0f a preliminary compressi@ Spring. preferably interposedbetween the wed e and the front follower to enable the dra t rigging to effectively cushion light blows without necessarily moving the friction devices or compressing the main spring.

It further consists, in connection with these parts, of a preliminary compression followeror thimble for the preliminary coinpression spring, having a -shoulder or end to engage the wedge or spreader block and limit 'the compression of the pression spring.

.It further consists in providing this preliminary compression follower or thimble with a non-circular rojection or extension which enters a similarly shaped -socket in arts 4from turning or revolving, and

lation tothe other parte,

The invention further consists in the novel construction of parts and devlces and vin the novel combinatlons of parts and d evicesrherein shown and described.

In the .accempan mg drawing, forming la Aart o f this specification, Figure 1 is "a si e elevation, partly in central verticalpreliminary `c omlongitudinal section of a friction draft rigging embodying my invention; F 2 is a lplan View with the draw bar yoke partly roken away to better show the parts; Fig. 3 is a cross section online 3-3 of Fig. l; Fig. 4 is a detail perspective View of the reliminary compression follower; Fig. 5 1s a detail perspective view showing a modification in which the preliminary compresshell, F1 F1 friction blocks within the shell,

F2 a wedge or spreader block, E2 a supplemental preliminary compression spring interposed between the wedge F2 and the front follower D and surrounding a thimble or preliminary compression follower D2.

Gris a connecting rod between the thimble D2 and the rear end of the friction shell -F for holding the main draft rigging spring E E1 under an initial tension and all the parts assembled. i

H H are antifriction rollers interposed between the inclined or wedging faces f of the friction blocks F1 and the inclined faces f1 of the wedge or spreader block F2.

The friction shell F preferably has anexternal recess or countersink f2 in its rear head or end f3 to accommodate the threaded nut g of the connecting bolt G and forming an internal boss f4 which fits inside the outer or main spring E, thus forming an annular seat for'the rear end of said spring. The smaller main spring E1 which fits inside the outer spring E, abuts against the inner end of this inwardly projecting boss f4, and at its front end the inner spring E lits in a circular recess f5, with which the frition Y blocks F1 F1 are proyided at their inner or rear ends. TheV spring E thus extends beyond the spring E1 at the rear end, while the spring E1 extends beyond the spring E at the Vfront end, 'as will-be readily un er stood from Fig. 1.

The wedge' or spreader block F2 is provided at its front end with a noncircular, preferably rectangular, cavity or recess f to receive the corresponding projection d on the inner end of the thimble D2, so that the thimble may telescope with the wedge F2 sufficiently to permit compression and ezt-l pansion of the preliminary compression spring E2. A The noncircular or rectangular form of the rojection d and recess f prevents the we ge from turning in respect to the tliim'ble D2. And, as the friction block F1 cannot turn inrespect to the wedge F2, this construction also serves to keep the friction blocks in proper position.

The preliminary compression follower or thimble D2 is preferably made in a separate piece from the front follower D, and fur-4 nished with an integral flange or plate member d1, having horizontal upper and lower edges' Z2 fitting within and engaging the inner faces of the yoke B1, so that the thimble cannot turn in respect to the yoke.

The preliminary compression follower D2 abuts at its inner end d* against the wedge or spreader block F2, and thus serves to limit the compression of the preliminary spring E2, and to transmit the main pressure of the draw bar to the wedge. The flange or plate portion d1 of the preliminary compression follower D2 also serves by its engagement with the end of the friction shell F to limit the compression of the main draft rigging springs E-E1, so that said springs E E1 cannot be compressed solid and thus cause the rwedge F2 through the friction blocks F1 to exert a destructive or bursting strain upon the friction shell F.

.The intermediate stops C2 C3 by engagement with the followers D D1 by limiting the movement of the draw bar also relieve the friction sh'ell from compression blows tending to shorten the friction shell in length and thus interferingwith its proper coperative action with the other parts In practice the main draft rigging springs E E1 preferably have about two and one-half inch total movement or compression, and in the assembled gear these springs are held under an initial compression of about onehalf inch by the connecting rod Gr. In prac; tice l prefer to have the connecting rod G act upon the wedge F2 through the preliminary compression follower D2 and interposed compression spring E2, instead of having this connecting rodact directly against the wedge, as by this arrangement the connecting rod G will also serve the functionof holding the preliminary compression springY `other parts. The connecting rod Vthus also serves to hold or keep the cushioning de vices, as a whole, of a predetermined and fixed length over all, that is to say, from the rear end of the friction shell F to the front end of the preliminary compression follower or thimble D2.

The thimble D2 is provided with a central recess d3 to. receive the head or front end. g1 of the connecting bolt G. The connecting bolt G is provided with a washer or plate G1 at its rear end which fits in the recess f2 r1n the rear head or end f2 of the friction shell F.

K K are tie plates' removably secured to the center sails by boltsiKl, and which supe.

. `friction shoes within the shell, a wedge and a connecting rod operating .through the wedge to hold the spring Anormally under an initial compression to automatically take Vup Wear of the friction devices and maintain the draft rigging of standard length, substantially as specified.

2. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with a spring, of a friction shell, friction shoes within the shell, a wedge and a connecting rod operating through the wedge to hold the spring normally under an' initial compression, a preliminary compres sion spring, and a preliminary compression follower, said connecting rod acting upon the wedge through said preliminary coinpression follower and preliminary compression spring to automatically take up Wear of the friction-devices and maintain the draft rigging of standard length, substantially as specified.A

3. In a friction draft rigging, the combination with the draw bar, yoke and followers and front and rear intermediate stops for the followers to abut against, of a longitudinally movable friction shell, a spring, friction blocks, a wedge, antifriction rollers between the .wedge and friction blocks, a connecting rod acting through the wedge to hold the spring normally under an initial compression to automatically take up wear of the friction devices and maintain the ldraft rigging of standard length, a preliminary compression spring anda preliminary compression follower to which the connecting rod is attached', substantially as s ecified.

4. In a friction draft-rigging, t e coinbination with a draw bar, draw bar yoke and followers, of a spring, a friction shell, friction shoes and wedge within the shell, a connecting rod between said shell and wedge and operating to hold the spring under an initial compression, a reliminary spring a thimble within said A-pre iminary spring operating as a stop to limit its compression, and

to which said connecting rod is attached,

said connecting rod operatin through said wedge and thimble to hold said springs normally under -`an initial compression and-to automatically take up wear of the friction devices and to maintain the draft yrigging of standard length substantially as specified.

5. In a friction draft rigging/the combination with the draw bar, draw bar yoke and followers, and front, rear and intermediate stops for the followers to abut against, of a lon itudinally movable friction shell, a spring, riction blocks and wedge and anti- 'friction rollers within the shell said wedge havino' a non-circular recess, and a su plementa preliminary spring interpose between the wedge and the adjacent follower,

athiinble within said supplemental spring i having a noncircular projection fitting within a noncircular recess in said wedge, and a connecting bolt extending between said thimble at one end and the opposite end of said friction shell, whereby all'the parts are held assembled, substantially as specie'd.

6. In a friction draft rigging, the coinbination with a spring, friction shell inclosingvsaid spring and against which the sprin bears at one end, friction blocks within sai shell bearing against the opposite ends of the spring, a wedge, antifriction rollers, a

follower, a preliminary compression springbetween said wedge and said follower, and a. thimble for said' preliminary compression s ring furnished with a non-circular projection, said wedge having a noncircular recess to receive said projection, vsubstantially as specified. l JOHN F. OCONNOR.

Witnesses:

H. M. MUNDAY, PEARL ABRAMS. 

